Foodie Alert: Ramen Shop, CRO Cafe, I Squared

Recent bits of restaurant news:

The Ramen Shop, traditional Japanese with a Chez Panisse-California cuisine twist, will open officially at 5812 College Ave. on Jan. 4, Grub Street San Francisco reports. Meanwhile, they will be open for a special New Year's Eve dinner, according to Grub Street. Advance tickets are available at Eventbrite.com.

Bay Area Bites has the backstory (plus lots of photos) on The CRO Cafe, the newish — and tiny — coffee spot in Temescal Alley. The initials stand for owner Luigi Oldani's daughter, Camille Rosemary Oldani, the KQED food blog reports.

I Squared, the Persian-Italian restaurant operated by the owners of Hudson Bay Cafe, will close as of Jan. 1, according to the restaurant's website.

Have you tried out a new Rockridge or Temescal restaurant recently? Tell us about your experience in the comments section below.

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